Diberdayakan oleh Blogger.

Popular Posts Today

Three Siblings With Throats Slit: Mother Held

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 23 Februari 2013 | 12.14

Police have arrested the mother of three children who were found with their throats slit at their home near Paris.

She was held in the French capital after a police hunt for her was launched following the discovery of the siblings, aged nine, 11 and 17.

Their father, who is a doctor, raised the alarm after returning home in the morning from work, police and judicial sources said.

The authorities said: "The children had their throats slit but we are still awaiting forensic reports."

Crime scene in Dampmart Forensic officers leaving the house after gathering evidence

The bodies of the nine-year-old girl and her 11-year-old brother showed multiple stab wounds.

When the emergency services arrived the eldest brother was still alive but he later died of his injuries.

The killings took place in the suburban town of Dampmart, 30km (19 miles) east of Paris, in the Seine-et-Marne region.

The father was found in a state of shock.

Crime scene in Dampmart Police surround the crime scene

The couple were having marital problems, investigators said.

The residential street where the children were found was closed off by police.


12.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pentagon Grounds Fleet Of F-35 Fighter Jets

The Pentagon has grounded the US military's entire fleet of F-35 fighter jets after discovering a cracked engine blade in one plane.

The problem was discovered during what the Pentagon called a routine inspection of an F-35A, the Air Force's version of the new plane.

The Navy and the Marine Corps are buying other versions of the F-35, which is intended to replace older fighter jets like the Air Force F-16 and the Navy F/A-18.

All versions - a total of 51 planes - were grounded on Friday pending an investigation.

In a written statement, the Pentagon said it is too early to know the full impact of the newly discovered problem.

"On February 19, 2013, a routine engine inspection revealed a crack on a low pressure turbine blade of an F135 engine installed in a CTOL test aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

"Engineering teams are shipping the turbine blade to Pratt & Whitney's Engine Facility in Middletown, CT, to conduct a thorough evaluation and root cause analysis.

"It is too early to know the fleet-wide impact of this finding, however as a precautionary measure, all F-35 flight operations have been suspended until the investigation is complete and the cause of the blade crack is fully understood.

"The F-35 Joint Program Office is working closely with Pratt & Whitney and Lockheed Martin at all F-35 locations to assess the integrity of the engine, and to return the fleet safely to flight as soon as possible."

The F-35 is the Pentagon's most expensive weapons program, with a total estimated cost of nearly $400bn (£262bn).

The Pentagon has planned to buy more than 2,400 F-35s, but some members of Congress are hesitant due to the hefty price tag.


12.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Oscar Pistorius: Bail Decision Expected

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 22 Februari 2013 | 12.14

A judge is today expected to decide on whether to grant bail to Oscar Pistorius, the athlete accused of shooting his girlfriend dead in South Africa.

Prosecutors have argued he is a cold-blooded killer and should be kept locked up, while his own lawyers say that he is far too famous to flee prosecution.

The bail hearing, which began last Friday, was resuming at 0800 GMT.

It resumes a day after police were forced to pull their lead detective off the athlete's case after it emerged he himself faces attempted murder charges for shooting at a minibus.

Defence lawyers for Pistorius say the athlete shot dead his girlfriend by a terrible mistake, and deserves bail to prepare for his case.

They say the case has been marred by a bungled police investigation.

Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius claims the death was a tragic mistake

The star "blade runner", whose lower legs were amputated in infancy, is said to have killed model Reeva Steenkamp, 29, in the early hours of Valentine's Day at his home.

Prosecutors have told the court it was a premeditated murder, with Pistorius firing four shots through a locked toilet door at Ms Steenkamp on the other side.

She was hit in the head, arm and hip.

Witnesses said they heard gunshots and screams from the home in a gated community surrounded by 3-metre-high stone walls and an electric fence.

Pistorius contends he was acting in self-defence.

He says he mistook Ms Steenkamp for an intruder and felt vulnerable because he was unable to attach his prosthetic limbs in time to confront the threat.

The 26-year-old said he grabbed a 9-mm pistol from under his bed and went into the bathroom.

Pistorius described how he fired into the locked toilet door in a blind panic in the mistaken belief that the intruder was lurking inside.

Bail hearings in South Africa allow for prosecutors and defence lawyers to lay out their basic arguments, based on preliminary evidence.

The arrest of Pistorius stunned millions who watched in awe last year as the Olympic and Paralympic sprinter reached the semi-final of the 400m in the London Olympics.

The impact has been greatest in sports-mad South Africa, where Pistorius was seen as a rare hero who commanded respect from both blacks and whites, transcending the racial divides that persist 19 years after the end of apartheid.


12.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hugo Chavez 'Suffering Respiratory Problems'

Venezuela's cancer-stricken President Hugo Chavez is still suffering from respiratory problems, according to the country's information minister.

The 58-year-old, who returned home on Monday after his fourth cancer surgery and more than two months of recovery in Cuba, will receive more treatment, Ernesto Villegas said.

In a statement broadcast on TV and radio stations in Venezuela, he said Mr Chavez's condition has "not been favourable".

He said: "Medical treatment for the underlying condition continues without present significant adverse effects so far."

In contrast to Mr Chavez's usual bombastic style, he announced his return on his Twitter account.

People walk at the entrance of the military hospital, where President Chavez is being treated, in Caracas The military hospital in Caracas where Mr Chavez is being treated

Since his surgery on December 11, the only photos released of him showed him bed-ridden but smiling, looking through a newspaper with two of his daughters by his side.

At the military hospital in Caracas where he is recovering, soldiers are on guard outside to keep out journalists.

Local press reports quote hospital employees as saying they know nothing and have not seen the president.

Bolivian President Evo Morales came to Caracas on Tuesday, but even he was not allowed to see Mr Chavez.

Speaking at the UN, Mr Morales said the Venezuelan leader "is in a very difficult spot with his health".

Mr Chavez has been undergoing cancer treatment in Cuba on and off since June 2011. He has said he has had tumours removed from his pelvic region and undergone chemotherapy and radiation treatment.


12.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Armstrong Refuses To Talk To Doping Officials

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 21 Februari 2013 | 12.14

Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong says he will not cooperate with American anti-doping investigators, despite having said he would help clean up cycling.

The former athlete had until Wednesday to respond to a request from US officials, who had wanted him to tell them everything he knows about drug use in the sport.

But his lawyer announced Armstrong - who last month admitted using drugs to Oprah Winfrey - would not take part in any interviews.

The US Anti Doping Agency (USADA) had told him he must take part if he wanted to reduce the lifetime ban on taking part in sports he had previously received.

His lawyer Tim Herman said Armstrong would not participate in the process as it was designed "only to demonise selected individuals".

USADA had been negotiating with Armstrong's representatives for more than two months before the announcement.

Armstrong had previously said he was willing to participate in an international effort to clean up cycling.

The former cyclist was at the top of his sport for years, winning the Tour de France seven times during a career that also saw him take other titles.

His success made him rich as sponsors queued up to be associated with his name

In January, he admitted to taking performance enhancing drugs in order to win the seven Tour de France titles. He has now been stripped of the titles.

His confession to taking part in doping has caused the former road cycling star a number of problems.

He is being sued by a Dallas-based promotions company which is seeking to recoup £7.6m in bonuses they paid him for winning the Tour de France.

The US Anti Doping Agency has been locked in a war of words with Armstrong for some time and last month - after his confession - accused him of lying when he claimed he was clean when he made his comeback in 2009.

Armstrong claimed on the Oprah interview he should be given the opportunity to compete again, saying that his life ban felt like a "death penalty".

He told the chat show host: "I can't lie to you. I'd love the opportunity to be able to compete, but that isn't the reason that I'm doing this.

"Frankly, this might not be the most popular answer, but I think I deserve it."

An estimated 3.2 million Americans tuned in to watch Winfrey's interview with him. 

It has since been announced Paramount Pictures and producer JJ Abram are planning a film of the cyclist's life.


12.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pistorius Detective Faces Shooting Charges

The investigating officer in the Oscar Pistorius murder case is facing multiple charges of attempted murder, according to reports.

More follows...


12.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali Resigns

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 20 Februari 2013 | 12.14

Tunisia's prime minister has resigned after his offer of a non-political government was turned down by his own party.

Hamadi Jebali's decision to step down follows days of protests in the country, which were sparked by the assassination of opposition leader Chokri Belaid earlier this month.

His offer of a new government was welcomed by the opposition but his own party, Ennahda, rejected the idea, saying the country should continue to be led by politicians.

TUNISIA-UNREST-ECONOMY-JOBS-YOUTH Chokri Belaid, a member of the Popular Front party, was shot dead

Mr Jebali announced his resignation after a meeting with President Moncef Marzouki.

"Today there is a great disappointment among the people and we must regain their trust and this resignation is a first step," he said.

Mr Jebali became prime minister in December 2011, 11 months after Tunisians overthrew President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, triggering the Arab Spring.

However, the coalition government has struggled to deliver the improved living standards many had hoped for.

The country is facing an economic crisis, with unemployment at 18% and a 10% inflation rate that has sent prices soaring.

International ratings agency Standard & Poor's had downgraded Tunisia's rating to BB-, saying arguments over the shape of the government had affected economic recovery and knocked investor confidence.


12.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Oscar Pistorius: Defence Steps Up Bail Case

Lawyers acting for Oscar Pistorius will set out the case to keep the athlete out of prison as his bail hearing continues.

On the first day of the hearing, the court heard the Paralympian star claim he shot his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp because he thought she was a robber.

But the chances of him being given bail lessened after Magistrate Desmond Nair ruled the case a schedule six offence - meaning premeditated murder.

It means his lawyers now have to prove "exceptional circumstances" for him to be granted bail until he goes to trial.

The gold-medallist, known as the Blade Runner, is accused of murdering Miss Steenkamp at his home in Pretoria, South Africa, last Thursday.

His lawyer, Barry Roux, read out a statement which gave his version of the events that led to Miss Steenkamp's death.

The 26-year-old denies murder and said the couple were "deeply in love".

In the statement, Pistorius said he felt vulnerable because he was not wearing his prosthetic legs. He claimed he fired his gun into the bathroom, but then realised Miss Steenkamp was not in bed.

He said: "It filled me with horror and fear."

After realising his mistake, he said he put on his legs, walked towards the bathroom and broke down the locked door with a cricket bat.

He then ran downstairs carrying his 29-year-old girlfriend, but "she died in my arms".

Mourners arrive for the funeral of Reeva Steenkamp Miss Steenkamp's funeral was held in Port Elizabeth

Pistorius went on: "I fail to understand how I could be charged with murder, let alone premeditated murder, as I did not plan to murder my girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp."

The couple went to sleep shortly after 10pm, Pistorius said, but in the middle of the night he woke up and thought an intruder had climbed in through his bathroom window.

He said he grabbed a 9mm pistol - which he kept under his bed after receiving death threats - and made his way in the darkness towards the bathroom door.

"As I didn't have my prosthetic legs on I was vulnerable," he said. "I fired a shot at the toilet door and shouted to Reeva to call the police."

Pistorius, who won two gold medals and a silver at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, described how he was "absolutely mortified at the death of my beloved Reeva".

The bail hearing came as Miss Steenkamp's funeral was held in her home town of Port Elizabeth.

The memorial service was attended by family and friends who had travelled from around the world.

Six pallbearers carried her coffin, draped with a white cloth and covered in white flowers.

Her brother, Adam Steenkamp, said after the service: "There's a space missing inside all the people that she knew that cannot be filled again."


12.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Oscar Pistorius: Grief of Girlfriend's Mother

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 19 Februari 2013 | 12.14

The mother of Reeva Steenkamp, who was allegedly murdered by boyfriend Oscar Pistorius, has asked: "Why my little girl?"

Speaking out for the first time about the death of her 29-year-old daughter, June Steenkamp told the Times of South Africa: "She had so much of herself to give and now all that is gone - just like that, she is gone.

"In the blink of an eye and a single breath, the most beautiful person who ever lived is no longer here.

"All we have is this horrendous death to deal with ... to get to grips with.

"All we want are answers ... answers as to why this had to happen, why our beautiful daughter had to die like this."

She said: "Why my little girl? Why did this happen? Why did he do this?"

Gold medal-winning Paralympian Pistorius was arrested and charged last Thursday with the premeditated murder of Miss Steenkamp, a model who he had been dating since November.

The Feather Awards Oscar Pistorius had been dating Reeva Steenkamp since November

Miss Steenkamp's father Barry said on Sunday he did not hate Pistorius following his arrest.

More than 100 people are expected to attend an hour-long memorial service for the law graduate on Tuesday.

She will be cremated in her home town of Port Elizabeth, in a private ceremony for family and friends.

Well-wishers have already begun placing bouquets of flowers outside the family home.

Thousands of people saw her appear in a TV programme on Saturday night after her family said they wanted the broadcast to go ahead.

There had been controversy over the airing of Tropika Island of Treasure as Miss Steenkamp talked about how making the right 'exit' was important.

The broadcast went ahead after the programme makers said they had been told that the family wanted it to be shown.

Her uncle Mike Steenkamp said the family had been overwhelmed with offers of help.

Police have said Miss Steenkamp was shot four times in the early hours of Thursday by a pistol owned by Pistorius and died of her wounds at the scene.

His family has insisted that the evidence will refute "any possibility of a premeditated murder or indeed any murder at all".

Pistorius, 26, who broke down sobbing in his first court appearance on Friday, has built up a powerful team of lawyers, medical specialists and public relations experts for his defence.

Stuart Higgins, a former editor of The Sun newspaper, whose lengthy list of clients includes British Airways, Chelsea FC and Manchester United football club, will be handling Pistorius' public relations.


12.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pistorius: 'Murder Would Be Out Of Character'

Oscar Pistorius is preparing to return to court to learn whether he will be granted bail following the death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

The Paralympian is charged with the premeditated murder of the 29-year-old model in the early hours of last Thursday.

Police said she was shot four times with a pistol owned by Pistorius at his home in South Africa, where she died from her injuries.

The bail hearing comes after Pistorius' former headteacher said he was "shocked" by allegations the 26-year-old had deliberately killed Miss Steenkamp, a law graduate who he had been dating for three months.

"From my knowledge of Oscar, it would have been completely out of character, and that's why I find it so hard to accept or to understand," Bill Schroder told Sky News.

"The scary thing for all of us is that they seem to want to charge him with premeditated murder.

Oscar Pistorius, centre, is led from the Boschkop police station east of Pretoria, en route to court Oscar Pistorius broke down in tears during his last court appearance

"That's horrendous; it's the ultimate crime and carries the ultimate penalty, and I truly don't want to believe that he's capable of that."

Pistorius, who won two gold medals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, has been held in a police cell in Pretoria since he was arrested and charged with Miss Steenkamp's murder.

His family has vowed to fight the charge in the "strongest terms" and insisted that evidence will refute "any possibility of a premeditated murder or indeed any murder at all".

Reeva Steenkamp on set of reality TV show Tropika Island of Treasure (Pic: Stimulii) Reeva Steenkamp and Oscar Pistorius had been dating since November

Miss Steenkamp's family and friends are expected to attend an hour-long memorial service later before a private cremation in her home town of Port Elizabeth.

Her mother, June Steenkamp, told the Times of South Africa: "She had so much of herself to give and now all that is gone - just like that, she is gone.

"In the blink of an eye and a single breath, the most beautiful person who ever lived is no longer here.

"All we have is this horrendous death to deal with ... to get to grips with.

"All we want are answers ... answers as to why this had to happen, why our beautiful daughter had to die like this."


12.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

British Worker Feared Kidnapped In Nigeria

Written By Unknown on Senin, 18 Februari 2013 | 12.14

Gunmen in northern Nigeria have kidnapped a group of foreign workers including one Briton, according to local authorities there.

The group attacked a construction company camp, killing a guard and then abducting seven foreigners, police said.

"From the report we have received, the hostages are seven in all. They include four Lebanese, an Italian, a Briton and a Greek," Bauchi state police spokesman Hassan Auyo said.

This would make it the biggest kidnapping yet in a region that is under attack from Islamic extremists.

Greece, Lebanon and Italy have all said their citizens are involved. However, Britain's Foreign Office has not confirmed if a Briton is among them.

The kidnapping on Saturday night happened in Jama'are, a town in a rural portion of Bauchi state.

The gunmen attacked a local prison first, burning two police trucks, another Bauchi state police spokesman, Hassan Muhammed told the Associated Press.

Then they targeted a workers' camp for a construction company called Setraco, which is in the area building a road, Mr Muhammed said.

The gunmen shot dead a guard at the camp before kidnapping the foreign workers, he added.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office in Britain said: "We are aware of the reports and are making inquiries with local authorities."

Nigeria's predominantly Muslim north has been under attack by the radical Islamic sect known as Boko Haram in the last year and a half.

The country's weak central government has been unable to stop the group's bloody guerrilla campaign of shootings and bombings.

The sect is blamed for killing at least 729 people in 2012 alone, according to an AP count.

Foreigners have been frequently abducted by militant groups and criminal gangs for ransom in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta and have become increasingly targeted in Nigeria's north as the violence has grown.

Sky News Special Correspondent Alex Crawford said: "Nigeria, particularly the north of Nigeria, has got a big problem. It's the scourge of the country and has been for many years now.

"Local Islamist groups called Boko Haram have been largely responsible for carrying out the kidnappings.

"This is one of the militant groups who have operating inside Mali. They are one of five extremist groups who are believed to have been running operations inside Mali and around the Sahel."

Gunmen who authorities say have links to Boko Haram also kidnapped an Italian and a British man last year in northern Kebbi State.

They were later killed during a rescue operation by Nigerian soldiers backed up by British special forces. The sect later denied taking part in that abduction.

Chinese construction workers have also been killed by gunmen around Maiduguri, the northeastern city in Nigeria where Boko Haram first began.

Setraco Nigeria, a construction and civil engineering company, is a subsidiary of Setraco International Holding group.

The Nigerian company, which was established in 1977, is currently working on expanding a major road in the north of the country.


12.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mindy McCready Dies In Apparent Suicide

Country singer Mindy McCready has been found dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, US authorities have said.

Cleburne County Sheriff's Office, in Arkansas, said McCready, 37, was found dead on Sunday afternoon with what appeared to be a single wound.

She was found on the front porch of a home.

McCready hit the top of the country charts before personal problems sidetracked her career.

In 1996, her song Guys Do It All the Time rose to No 1 in the country charts.

Her live-in boyfriend David Wilson was found shot dead in their home on January 13 and police said the case was suspicious.

She later appeared on television to deny she had played any role in the shooting.

Her death comes only days after she was released from rehab.


12.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Meteor: Rescue Teams Rally To Recovery Effort

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 17 Februari 2013 | 12.14

A major recovery effort is under way to replace thousands of windows shattered by the shockwave from a meteor that exploded over Russia, as some 24,000 workers began arriving in the Chelyabinsk region to help relief efforts.

The shockwave blew out glass in more than 4,000 buildings in the region and injured about 1,200 people, largely with cuts from the flying debris.

Forty of those injured remained in hospital on Saturday, two of them in a serious condition, the state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

Regional governor Mikhail Yurevich said the damage from the high-altitude explosion - which was estimated to have been as powerful as 20 Hiroshima bombs - is estimated at 1bn rubles (£21m).

A man repairs the window of a sports hall damaged by a shockwave from a meteor in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk A man repairs the window of a damaged sports hall in Chelyabinsk

He promised to have the 200,000 square metres of broken windows replaced within a week.

Rescuers are also scouring the bottom of a lake for the remains of the meteor, which plunged to Earth in a fireball on Friday.

Part of the space rock, which was the size of a bus and blazed across western Siberia, is believed to have landed in the frozen Lake Chebarkul.

Curious onlookers gathered nearby were prevented from venturing out on to the lake by police as the search continued.

More than 24,000 rescuers and recovery workers have already been dispatched to the region around Chelyabinsk to help residents.

Workers examine damage on buildings in Chelyabinsk Workers in Chelyabinsk examine the damage to a large building

The workers will gather warm clothes and food, cover windows, and make other relief efforts. Crews from glass companies in adjacent regions have also begun to arrive.

Experts are also examining major buildings in case they have been structurally damaged by the blast.

Residents who had poured into the streets to watch the light show after spotting the initial flash were wounded by glass shattered by the subsequent sonic boom.

Experts said the meteor strike was the largest recorded in more than a century.

Trail of a meteorite crossing the early morning sky above the city of Kamensk-Uralsky The meteor burned brightly in the sky as it plunged to Earth

As the recovery mission begins in earnest, the emergencies ministry said six divers would be inspecting the lake for any pieces of meteorite.

Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov added: "We have a special team working ... that is now assessing the seismic stability of buildings. We will be especially careful about switching the gas back on."

Scientists will be desperate to examine the rock for any clues about the cosmos but Mr Puchkov said no fragments had yet been discovered.

The explosion appears to have been one of the most stunning cosmic events over Russia since 1908, when an asteroid was blamed for a massive blast in Siberia.

Nasa estimated that the amount of energy released when the meteor crashed into the Earth's atmosphere was about 20 times more than the force of the Hiroshima nuclear bomb.                 

Meteorite The meteor hit in the Urals on Friday morning

"We would expect an event of this magnitude to occur once every 100 years on average," said Paul Chodas of Nasa's Near-Earth Object Programme Office.

The drama happened just hours before an asteroid whizzed safely past the Earth at an unprecedented distance of 17,200 miles.

This is closer than some distant satellites and set alarm bells ringing in some Russian circles about the need for joint global action to protect Earth from space.

The Russian parliament's foreign affairs committee chief Alexei Pushkov wrote on Twitter: "Instead of fighting on Earth, people should be creating a joint system of asteroid defence."


12.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pistorius: Girlfriend's TV Show Goes Ahead

A reality show featuring the dead girlfriend of Oscar Pistorius has aired, as his family says the paralympian is numb with grief over her death.

Tropika Island of Treasure, showing Reeva Steenkamp on location in Jamaica last year, was broadcast on Saturday night despite her shocking death on St Valentine's Day.

Miss Steenkamp, who had been going out with Pistorius since November, was shot four times at his house in a heavily guarded complex in Pretoria on Thursday.

Local media have reported that she was shot through a bathroom door. A 9mm pistol was found at the scene.

Oscar Pistorius Pistorius broke down in court at the mention of premeditated murder

The decision to air the show emerged as Pistorius' uncle said the athlete was "numb with shock, as well as grief" as he remained in custody facing charges of premeditated murder.

In the family's first public comments since the shooting, Arnold Pistorius said they were "in total shock" by what he called an "unimaginable human tragedy".

Tropika Island of Treasure producers said Miss Steenkamp's family wanted her appearance on the reality show for South Africa's national broadcaster to be aired as a tribute.

Before the programme aired a poignant pre-recorded interview with Miss Steenkamp was released in which the 29-year-old talked about the importance of leaving a positive mark in life.

Oscar Pistorius Pistorius (right) after his arrest on Thursday

"I think the way that you go out, not just your journey in life, but the way that you go out and the way you make your exit is so important," Miss Steenkamp said in the video.

"You either made an impact in a positive or a negative way, but just maintain integrity and maintain class and just remain true to yourself.

"I'm going to miss you all so much and I love you very, very much."

Tropika Island of Treasure sees celebrities paired with contestants and put through a series of challenges as they compete for a cash prize.

Executive producer Samantha Moon said: "This is how they want to remember her. This is what she would have wanted. She was happy, healthy, beautiful and vibrant and that's the way she should be remembered."

Spokesman for broadcaster SABA, Kaizer Kganyago, said: "The mother agreed that we should go ahead and we are free to go ahead. We are working on how to pay tribute to her."

Miss Steenkamp's cousin, Sharon Steenkamp, said she "was proud of being in the show".

"Her last words to us personally was that she wants us to watch it," she said.

The Feather Awards Reeva Steenkamp, 29, with Pistorius last November

Production company Stimulii said it was "devastated" by the model's death and described her as a "wonderful human being" with a "zest for life".

Pistorius, who made history by competing in both the Olympics and Paralympics last year, sobbed through his first court appearance on Friday.

He is being held in a police cell ahead of a new hearing on February 19, when prosecutors are set to oppose any request for bail.

The chief magistrate delayed the bail hearing until next week at the request of the defence, who asked for more time.

A statement issued by Pistorius' family and management following the initial hearing said: "The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest terms."

And in Saturday's statement, Arnold Pistorius insisted there was "no substance" to the allegation of premeditated murder "or indeed any murder at all" as he spoke of his nephew's happiness with the model and rising star.

"They had plans together and Oscar was happier in his private life than he had been for a long time," he told the Associated Press.

"Words cannot adequately describe our feelings. The lives of our entire family have been turned upside down forever by this unimaginable human tragedy and Reeva's family have suffered a terrible loss.

"As a family we are trying to be strong and supportive to Oscar as any close family would be in these dreadful circumstances.

"We deeply regret the allegation of premeditated murder. We have no doubt there is no substance to the allegation and that the State's own case, including its own forensic evidence, strongly refutes any possibility of a premeditated murder or indeed any murder at all."

Premeditated murder carries a mandatory life sentence in South Africa. If found guilty, Pistorius would not be eligible for parole for 25 years.


12.14 | 0 komentar | Read More
techieblogger.com Techie Blogger Techie Blogger